Be fairly warned. This is a miniature photo essay meant to invoke your deepest, most hidden inner chef. So do not be surprised if you end up cooking bok choy and Buddha’s hand for dinner.

Farmer’s markets are a cross between a food library and a botanical garden tour: they are educational and aesthetically enchanting. In attending a farmer’s market, you will be introduced to an array of new vegetables, crop varietals, and artisan products which, if you so choose to take the challenge, will help expand your culinary repertoire. The more familiar you become with the abundance of colorful, shapely, and sometimes alien looking crops available at the market (and more importantly, their seasonality), the more flexible you will become in your kitchen conquests. The quality of the products and their ultimate freshness also guarantee a level of natural flavor that requires little to no additional seasoning to achieve deliciousness. Which, for a sodium free cook, is especially wonderful. Have you ever tasted really good, simply steamed kale? It has a buttery sweetness all on its own, no additional spices necessary.

Added bonus: the knowledge you acquire at a farmer’s market can also help you keep your food shopping costs to a minimum. You may find yourself swapping products with similar tastes or textures to achieve a better budget.

So hold on tight. Off we go on our virtual tour of the beautiful sights and smells that can be experienced Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at the San Francisco Ferry Building Farmer’s Market. And just so you know, Sodium Girl will be radio silent tomorrow, but back in full force on Monday. Enjoy the weekend and chow on.

LET BUDDHA LEND A HAND

Alter this Chickpea Salad by substituting grated and sliced Buddha’s hand for the lemon.

What’s Up Top

A rainbow of honey flavors from Noe Valley's Saturday Farmers Market. Don't forget about this sweet sauce in your arsenal of low sodium flavorings. Honey is not only great for desserts (and tea), but it is especially wonderful (and surprising) when used in savory dishes. Combine with apples or peaches to make a velvety sauce for pork and chicken or drizzle over brussel sprouts, braised radishes, or spuds (with a few pinches of curry or cayenne) to build more complex flavors. Honey will come in handy this holiday season.

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Email SODIUM GIRL directly at sodiumgirl AT gmail DOT com for recipe advice, restaurant recommendations, or just a good laugh.